https://spacewatch.global/tag/takeshi-hakamada/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Mon, 02 Nov 2026 08:59:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/tag/takeshi-hakamada/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/11/ispace-strengthens-saudi-arabia-operations-with-anas-al-shuwayer-appointment/ Mon, 02 Nov 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=79716 Japanese lunar exploration company ispace has appointed Anas Al-Shuwayer as General Manager and Managing Director of its Saudi Arabian subsidiary, ispace S A, as it develops its operations in the Kingdom. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/10/ispace-selected-by-jaxa-to-design-lunar-solar-power-tower-to-facilitate-sustainable-lunar-exploration/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=79419 ispace has been selected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to conduct conceptual design work for a lunar solar power tower, a proposed system intended to generate electricity for activities on the Moon’s surface. The project aims to address power-generation challenges in lunar polar regions, where the low angle of sunlight and local terrain can limit the effectiveness of solar arrays.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/ispace-to-launch-its-mission-3-ultra-lunar-lander-aboard-mitsubishi-heavy-industries-h3-rocket/ Thu, 30 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76031 ispace, inc. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. have signed a contract for the launch and transportation of ispace’s Mission 3 ULTRA Lunar Lander using the latter's H3 rocket which is currently scheduled for 2028. This marks the first time ispace will launch its Japanese lunar lander aboard a Japanese rocket, having relied on SpaceX for its previous launches. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/ispace-announces-new-lunar-integration-and-transportation-service-aboard-spacexs-starship/ Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75526 ispace has announced a new lunar transportation service aboard SpaceX's Starship, repositioning itself as a 'Lunar Access Integrator' using a Mobile Cargo System to integrate multiple payloads.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/ispace-and-university-of-leicester-sign-payload-service-agreement-for-lunar-raman-spectrometer-mission/ Thu, 14 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=73875 ispace, inc. and the University of Leicester have signed a Payload Service Agreement to deliver a Raman spectrometer payload to the lunar surface on a future ispace mission. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/01/ispace-announce-saudi-arabia-subsidiary-to-advance-lunar-exploration-partnerships/ Tue, 13 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=70351 ispace, inc. is establishing a new ispace subsidiary in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reflecting the lunar exploration company's commitment to advancing partnerships and collaborations with both commercial and institutional partners in the Kingdom. Consequently, ispace Saudi Arabia will advance the company's engagement with key Saudi stakeholders, including commercial and institutional partners and government entities.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/orbitaid-and-ispace-partner-towards-developing-sustainable-lunar-infrastructure/ Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68626 ispace and OrbitAID have announced a strategic partnership via an MoU towards advancing sustainable lunar exploration and establishing long-term lunar operations. As part of the collaboration, OrbitAID intends to demonstrate its Standardized Interface for Docking and Refueling Payload (SIDRP) in the future by integrating into ispace’s lunar landers, facilitating seamless docking and refueling during lunar missions. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/ispace-secures-toyotas-support-for-the-development-of-a-next-gen-small-sized-rover/ Thu, 23 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68493 ispace partners with the Toyota Motor Corporation to receive technical evaluation and quality improvement support for the conceptual design of its small-sized rover, currently under development by ispace for future missions. The company is developing a small-sized rover towards enhancing its data collection capabilities through its rover platform. The lunar exploration company will consequently receive system-level technical evaluation from Toyota for the development of its rover toward an optimal system design solution.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/open-lunar-foundation-establishes-lunar-ledger-to-bring-cooperation-and-transparency-to-the-moon/ Fri, 10 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68267 The Open Lunar Foundation has launched the Lunar Ledger, a new open-access database of global lunar activities and objects. The Ledger provides a single, shared platform where governments, companies, and researchers can publish and cross-reference mission information . ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/ispaces-series-3-lunar-lander-achieves-testing-milestone-in-preparation-for-mission-4/ Fri, 03 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68121 ispace's Series 3 lander model has scaled tests assessing its structural integrity and ability to withstand extreme conditions in space. Funded through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), the successful testing regime confirms that development is progressing steadily towards the planned launch of Mission 4.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/09/ispace-and-orbital-space-are-collaborating-to-send-student-developed-payloads-to-the-moon/ Wed, 17 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=67786 ispace, inc., and Orbital Space Satellite Services will jointly promote and implement educational lunar missions involving student-developed payloads. Based on the MoU, Orbital Space will plan, operate, and promote a global competition for university students to lead a mission to the Moon]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/09/ispace-and-digantara-to-jointly-establish-cislunar-situational-awareness-infrastructure/ Mon, 08 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=67536 ispace, inc and Digantara have opened discussions on a joint lunar mission with focus on cislunar situational awareness. The announcement coincides with the meeting of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit in Tokyo.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/08/ispace-and-bridgestone-sign-agreement-to-develop-tires-for-lunar-rovers/ Mon, 04 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=66663 ispace enters into an agreement with Bridgestone for tires to enhance the performance of its small and medium-sized lunar rovers. ispace is currently developing prototypes for the rovers with lunar surface exploration capabilities including high-resolution video and data-capture functions.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/06/ispace-faults-anomaly-in-laser-range-finder-as-cause-of-lunar-crash-landing/ Wed, 25 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=65971 ispace has identified an anomaly in the Laser Range Finder (LRF) landing sensor as the cause of the lander's hard landing. The review also confirmed the issue was not related to the landing guidance control software, nor anomalies in the propulsion or power supply system. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/06/ispaces-resilience-lander-fails-to-make-soft-landing-on-the-moon/ Fri, 06 Jun 2025 06:00:17 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=65663 ispace's RESILIENCE lunar lander has failed to make a soft landing on the moon, as the lander was unable to decelerate sufficiently to reach the necessary speed for the landing. This makes the second consecutive mission ispace has failed to achieve a lunar soft landing.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/05/resilience-lander-completes-lunar-orbit-injection-for-lunar-landing-in-june/ Wed, 07 May 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=65180 Ispace's RESILIENCE lunar lander has successfully entered lunar orbit, doing so at 5:41 a.m. today, May 7 JST (May 6, 20:41 UTC). As a result, ispace has completed the Success 7 milestone of the Mission 2 "SMBC x HAKUTO-R Venture Moon."]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/05/ispace-selected-by-japan-space-fund-for-lunar-water-exploration-project/ Thu, 01 May 2025 06:00:13 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=65130 Japan’s Strategic Space Fund has selected ispace as part of a team for the "Development and demonstration of lunar water resource exploration technology (sensing technology)." The project team, led by the Institute of Science Tokyo, includes ispace, The University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University, Osaka Metropolitan University, as well as other organizations. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/03/ispace-announces-collaborations-with-chuo-university-and-spacedata/ Mon, 10 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=64341 ispace has announced two lunar exploration Memoranda of Understanding with Chuo University and SpaceData respectively. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/02/ispace-and-edgecortix-collaborate-on-latest-ai-enabled-lunar-missions/ Wed, 26 Feb 2025 07:00:28 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=64131 ispace and EdgeCortix have announced a mutual strategic cooperation to explore cislunar development using EdgeCortix’s low-power AI-specific processors with ispace lunar exploration activities. Both companies will subsequently collaborate using data from existing and future missions. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/01/resilience-lunar-lander-completes-first-orbital-maneuver/ Wed, 22 Jan 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=63538 ispace's Mission 2 RESILIENCE lunar lander completed its first orbital maneuver on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 250,000 kilometres, successfully scaling the mission's fourth milestone. ]]>